The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1931. COMPARATIVE FARMING.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1931. COMPARATIVE FARMING.

Contending that the present depression could to a large extent btfovercome if' the people' could be persuaded to be more optimistic and constructive in their thoughts, talk,and actions, particularly in regard to irural pursuits, Messrs Arthur Yates and Company, Ltd., of Auckland, have issued a pamphlet, in which they state that the only practical way to combat lower prices is by increased production. During the last year, the pamphlet states, there has been much newspaper correspondence and many suggested cures for the present unprofitable fanning position, among them being the need for lower interest rates, lower land values, lower rates, lower wages, less taxes, a lower cost of living and smaller mortgages. The pamphlet maintains, however, that it is not that the land values are too high, hut that New. Zealand’s production is too low. Denmark, only about half the size of New Zealand and with disadvantages of a rigorous climate, produces and exports twice as much butter as the whole of New Zealand and 06 times more pig products. The Dane, it is pointed out, lias almost the same costs for land, interest, rates and living as the New Zealander, but be requires much more labour to carry only about half the cows to qualitv land as the New Zealander does, because half the farm has to be used’ half the year to grow feed for the stock during the winter months. During the winter the Danish cows have to ho housed and hand fed. thus emailing increased cost in labour and feed. The writer of the pamphlet went round the world last year, and returned to New Zealand convinced that there is not a country in the world than can compete with New Zealand in the production ot cheap butter if the New Zealand farmer would but realise that lower prices have come to stay ami set abou the

jo!) of mootino thorn. A comparison is drawn botwoon two farms of the same acreage and both costing the same. They are both of second-class land. One lias been roughly subdivided inLo large TV.lore paddocks, with no shelter, and the moie modern methods of grass land management have been ignored. The other has been divided into 11-acre paddocks, plenty of shelter has been provided, and every advantage has been taken of modern methods of manuring, grass land management, and herd testing. The former farm, according to the pamphlet, will carry 3b cows, with a bulterfat average of 2001 b. and the latter bb cows, with it butterfat average of 3b()lb. A profit and loss account prepared for each farm showed a loss of £139 18s -Id for former farm and a profit of £lO7 11s 8d for the latter. The factor* which, in the opinion of the writer of the pamphlet count, are enumerated in the order of their importance, as follow: Top-dressing, herd testing, breeding, chain harrowing, small paddocks, shelter liny and ensilage, and green feed am;! mot crops.